Crime & Safety
Napa Man Arrested In Death Of CHP Captain's Estranged Husband
Thomas O'Donnell, 60, of Napa, was arrested at the Sacramento airport in connection with the death of CHP Capt. Julie Harding's husband.
NAPA, CA — A Napa man awaits extradition to Kentucky where he is suspected of killing the husband of a California Highway Patrol captain, authorities announced Friday.
Thomas O'Donnell, 60, was arrested Dec. 8 at the Sacramento airport on a warrant out of Kentucky, Kentucky State Police said in a news release.
O'Donnell is accused in the death of Michael Harding, 53, formerly of Sacramento and estranged husband of CHP Capt. Julie Harding.
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Michael Harding was found dead from gunshot wounds Sept. 26 inside a home in Burkesville, Kentucky, police said.
The planning and execution of the crime included multiple local and state jurisdictions, according to Kentucky State Police, which led the agency to partner in the investigation with the FBI and other local and state law enforcement agencies in Kentucky, Tennessee, and California.
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Information obtained through this collective effort led to the arrest of O'Donnell.
"KSP, the FBI, and local authorities arrested O’Donnell at the Sacramento International airport, charging him with the Murder of Michael Harding," Kentucky State Police said. "O’Donnell is lodged in the Sacramento County main jail in Sacramento, CA. where he is awaiting extradition back to Kentucky."
Two days after O'Donnell's arrest, Julie Harding was found dead in a house in Celina, Tennessee.
Police have not said whether there is a connection between Julie Harding's death and the fatal shooting of her husband, Michael Harding, who was living in Celina, and went missing in September.
Julie Harding was arrested for trespassing at a home in Tennessee two days before her body was found, according to media reports. She was jailed and released.
The California Highway Patrol said in a statement that Julie Harding was on leave at the time of her death. She has worked at the department since 1999 and had been commander of the Yuba Sutter area office since 2018.
An autopsy was being performed on Julie Harding’s body in Nashville.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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